Calathea plant named ‘Mia’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calathea  plant named ‘Mia’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; elliptic-shaped dark green-colored leaves with a broad metallic silver green-colored marginal band; leaves often variably tinged with pink when developing; and long-lasting inflorescences with green and pink-colored bracts held above the foliage on strong scapes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following related application: Calathea Plant Named ‘Indri’; Gregori G. Hambali, Applicant.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Calathea hybrida cultivar Mia.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calathea plant, botanically known as Calathea hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Mia’.

The new Calathea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bogor, Indonesia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new flowering Calathea cultivars with a plant habit appropriate for container production, desirable flowering habit and color and good postproduction longevity.

The new Calathea originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Bogor, Indonesia in July, 1996, of an unnamed selection of Calathea loesenerii, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Calathea roseo picta cultivar Eclipse, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,621, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Mia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bogor, Indonesia in December, 1998.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calathea by divisions in a controlled environment in Bogor, Indonesia since April, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Calathea are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations. Asexual reproduction of the new Guzmania by tissue culture done in a laboratory in Sebring, Fla. since Spring, 2000, has also confirmed that the unique features of this new Calathea are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Mia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and/or light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Mia’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Mia’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading growth habit.     -   2. Elliptic-shaped dark green-colored leaves with a broad         metallic silver green-colored marginal band; leaves often         variably tinged with pink when developing.     -   3. Long-lasting inflorescences with green and pink-colored         bracts held above the foliage on strong scapes.

Plants of the new Calathea can be compared to the female parent, the unnamed selection of Calathea loesenerii. However plants of the new Calathea differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calathea are shorter and more outwardly         spreading than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Calathea have larger leaves than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Calathea and the female parent selection         differ in leaf coloration.

Plants of the new Calathea are most similar to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Eclipse. However plants of the new Calathea differ from plants of the cultivar Eclipse in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calathea are taller and more upright than         plants of the cultivar Eclipse.     -   2. Plants of the new Calathea have larger leaves than plants of         the cultivar Eclipse.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Calathea have green and         pink-colored bracts whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar         Eclipse have green-colored bracts.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Calathea have longer scapes than         flowers of plants of the cultivar Eclipse.

Plants of the new Calathea can also be compared to plants of the Calathea hybrid cultivar Indri, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/955,477. Plants of the new Calathea and the cultivar Indri differ primarily in leaf and flower coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calathea.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Mia’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Mia’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Mia’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and the following description were about 12 months old and grown in 15-cm containers in Apopka, Fla., in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 24 to 35° C., night temperatures ranging from 18 to 24° C. and light levels about 1,500 foot-candles.

All color references are measured against The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition. Colors and numerical measurements are approximate as plant growth and development depends on environmental conditions and cultural practices such as light level and temperature, among others, without, however any variance in genotype.

-   Botanical classification: Calathea roseo picta cultivar Mia. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Calathea             loesenerii, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Guzmania roseo picta cultivar             Eclipse, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,621. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots on tissue-cultured plants.—Summer:             About two weeks at temperatures of 26° C. Winter: About             three weeks at temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted tissue-cultured plant.—Summer:             About ten weeks at 26° C. Winter: About 13 weeks at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Main roots, fibrous; lateral roots, fine;             dark brown in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Upright and broad outwardly spreading growth habit;             freely clumping, leaves emerging from the base in a rosette;             about eight to ten axillary branches per plant.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of plant plane.—About 33 to             40 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 40 to 45 cm.         -   Petiole description.—Aspect: Upright. Length: About 16 to             22 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth. Color: 187A. Leaf sheath: Length: About             12 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Apex: Tapering and becoming flush             with the petiole. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Fleshy.             Color: 187A. Geniculum: Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About             6 mm. Aspect: During the night and early morning, the             geniculum is straight or slightly curved; during the day,             the geniculum is bent about 90°. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth. Color: 187A tinged with 199A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 22 cm. Width: About 16 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             leathery. Midrib is thick and prominent; midrib recessed on             the upper leaf surface and protruding from the lower             surface. Primary veins are recessed in the leaf blade; leaf             blade is concave between the primary veins. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface:             Center, 137B; marginal border, 194C; midrib, 147C with 194C;             primary veins, 147C; leaf often variably tinged with 58A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: 187A; midrib, 177A tinged             with 187A; primary veins, 187A. Fully expanded foliage,             upper surface: Center, 139A; marginal border, 194B; midrib,             147C with 194B; primary veins, 147C. Fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: 187A; midrib, 177A tinged with 187A; primary             veins, 187A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calathea begin             flowering in April in Apopka, Fla.         -   Inflorescence/flower longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             color for about ten weeks on the plant. Individual flowers             last about one day on the plant.         -   Type/arrangement.—Tall, terminally bracted spike. About 30             to 38 cm in height. Flower bracts are arranged in             closely-spaced vertical ranks and occupy the uppermost 6 cm             of the spike. About seven terminal bracts and about twelve             lower bracts with underlying flowers.         -   Terminal bract shape.—Ovate; apex; acute; margin, entire.         -   Lower bract shape.—Obovate; apex, emarginate; margin,             entire.         -   Terminal bract length.—About 4.4 to 5.4 cm.         -   Lower bract length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Terminal bract width.—About 2.3 to 3 cm.         -   Lower bract width.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Terminal and lower bract texture, upper and lower             surfaces.—Smooth.         -   Terminal bract color, immature, upper and lower             surfaces.—65B to 65C.         -   Terminal bract color, mature, upper and lower surfaces.—59D;             striations, 59C; towards the margins, 59C; towards the base,             155D flushed with 146D.         -   Lower bract color, immature, upper and lower surfaces.—65B             to 65C.         -   Lower bract color, mature, upper and lower surfaces.—155D             flushed with 146D; towards the margins, 59B.         -   Flowers.—Arrangement: Borne in short branch spikes under the             lower bracts. Each branch spike contains about four             flowers/buds. About 50 flowers/buds per inflorescence. Calyx             and corolla mostly concealed under bracts; staminodes, style             and anther prominently displayed. Calyx: Quantity pf sepals             per flower: Three. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About             2.5 mm. Color: 155D. Corolla: Quantity of petals per flower:             Three. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Color: 155D.         -   Staminodes.—Quantity per flower: Three. Length: Two             staminodes, about 3.6 cm; third staminode, about 3.2 cm.             Width: About 4 mm. Color: Two staminodes, about 155D; third             staminode, 155D, towards the apex, 79D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamen quantity per flower: One.             Filament length: About 2.2 cm. Anther length: About 2.5 mm.             Anther color: 9D. Style length: About 3 cm. Style color:             155D. Ovary: Inferior, three-celled. Ovary length: About             3 mm. Ovary color: 158B.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Aspect:             Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: 187A tinged             with 177A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,     plants of the new Calathea have not been noted to be resistant to     pathogens or pests common to Calathea. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Calathea have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from 6 to 40° C. in Apopka, Fla. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Calathea plant named ‘Mia’, as illustrated and described. 